2014 has arrived and with a new year brings new adventures. The mere thought of summer vacation has always acted as a mental refuge of sorts for me the past few years. I tend to let the fall months slide by with open ended daydreams. Filled with possibilities and an endless array of potential itineraries, each more fantastical than the last, I eventually zero in and begin the arduous task of creating a plan that might resemble something that might actually work. Whether it is hiking, biking, foreign travel, or a mixture of all three, perhaps, once the whimsical side of your brain enthusiastically says "yes!" to an adventure, the analytical side sooner or later has to front load a lot of the work.
However, this year has been a bit different. For starters, I'm married now. And that story may just explain the title of this post and why I feel the need to "Return to Santiago" and retread a familiar path. I, in the summer of 2011, along with another teacher and a couple of students, completed the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile pilgrimage route in Spain. Near the end of our journey, I met a beautiful Danish woman named Sahra. She too was walking the route, big red backpack and all. When we arrived in Santiago, Sahra informed me she was traveling to New York in a couple of months and that it would be her first visit to the United States. I told her it was a ridiculous idea to visit dirty, grey New York City for 10 days and return home without seeing beautiful, green Oregon as well. Much to both our happiness, she did. That was over two years ago. Long story short, now we are married.
The thing is, I hold the Camino very close to my heart. I know Sahra does, too. So isn't it funny we haven't really walked much of it together? We are going to fix that this summer. At the same time, while I thoroughly enjoyed my travels throughout much of South and East Africa, it is time for me to return the favor and give back a bit. In 2011, I did the Camino with 2 amazing students and I can't imagine doing it without enthusiastic and curious learners like Auna and Deija. They have moved on to the college adventures leaving me and Sahra to find new members to join our "camino familia" to share in whatever this journey gifts. Luckily, we didn't have to look very far or very hard. In fact, I think I had two of these kids in the back of my mind the whole time, just waiting for an appropriate adventure. The third, well, she just straight out demanded to go. And yes, she said this right after I told her we would be walking 500 miles.
Travel details are to be determined and will be posted when they become more concrete. Getting passports in order and beginning fundraising is the first order of business. You will get to know these travelers this summer as they will author the vast majority of the daily updates to the blog, but in the meantime, let me introduce you all to 'Las Peregrinas' in their own words:
Mimi
Hi! My name is Mimi Schiffer. I am a junior attending Springfield High School. I play soccer, run track, enjoy hiking and spending time with others. When I get older I want to study linguistics or become an architectural engineer. I want to use these fields as an outlet to bless others through helping nationally. I was blessed to get the opportunity to go on an adventure along a trail called, “El Camino de Santiago.” I will learn to live on less while carrying all of my belongings on my back the entire way.
This trek will be a great experience for me because not only will I explore Spain and other parts of Europe, but I not only get the chance to learn about the Spanish culture, but I get to become a part of it. This will be rigorous, life-changing and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This trip is not a vacation but a time for transformation as I learn who I truly am.
Emily
My name is Emily Anderson. I am a junior at Springfield High School, I play on the girls varsity soccer team, run track, and I ended my first quarter with a 4.0. After high school my goal is to go to Oregon Institute of Technology to become an Ultrasound Technician. Another goal and dream of mine has always been to travel. I never imagined having the opportunity while in high school though. This isn't just some vacation, but it is an incredible learning experience. I will be living out of a backpack for over a month, and be without my electronics. I think this trip will show me that even though we base our lives around the materialistic things, we don't really need them, and they're not what's important in life.
Lanie
Hey! My name is Lanie Harmon and I am a sophomore at Springfield High. I have played volleyball for 5 years now and I absolutely love it. I enjoy painting, writing, and hanging out with friends. I have always had a heart for travel and it has been a dream of mine to travel to Europe for as long as I can remember. After I graduate with the class of 2016, I am hoping to attend the University of Oregon, play volleyball, and become an elementary school teacher. We all hope you will follow us on our journey to Santiago and all of the other wonderful places we will visit!
